Improvement



OTC, JENKINS. H Regulating Devices for Steam-Engines.

No. 213,202 I Patehtd Mar. 11; 1879.

UNITED TATES PATENT FFIGE.

CALDWELL C. JENKINS, OF PHILADELPHIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TOCHARLES B. LEE, OF WVEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN REGULATING DEVICES FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,202, dated March11, 1879; application filed January 17', 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, CALDWELL O. JENKINS, ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Regulating Devices for Steam-Engines, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my inventionis to regulate the speed of steam-engines, andespecially of marine engines, by the devices described hereinafter, sothat although the duty of the governor is light, there shall be a promptaction of the heaviest throttle-valve in obedience to the governor.

The distinguishing feature of my invention is the use, in combinationwith certain valves, of a single piston, adapted to a cylinder ofunifore bore throughout, instead of two pistons of different diameters,adapted to two eylinders, or to a duplex cylinder, as usual.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front view, partly insection, of my improved regulating device for steam-engines; and Fig.

2, a section of part of Fig. 1 on the line 1 2.

A is a cylinder, closed at both ends, and having a piston, to, therod 1) of which passes through a stuffing-box in one of the ends of thecylinder, and is connected to a lever, B, the latter being pivoted at bto the plate D, or to any fixed framework. One end, (I, of this lever Bis connected to the throttle-valve of the engine, the other end, 6,passing between two stops, f j, which form parts of plates f, the latterbeing so secured to the plate D or other frame as to be adjustable fromand toward each other. Each stop has a pad, 71.,of rubber, leather, orother like cushionin g material, for the lever B to strike againstduring its operations.

Two valve-chests, i and m, are secured to and communicate with theinterior of the cylinder A above the piston a, and two valve-chests, t"and m, are secured to and communicate with the interior of the cylinderbelow said piston. While the mechanism is in operation the valve-chestsz and i communicate at all times, through branches at n, with asteam-supply pipe, at, and the valve-chests m m communicate at alltimes, through branches 8 s, with an exhaust-pipe, 3.

To bearings 12 nforming, in the present instance, part of pillars 1 19,secured to the cover of the cylinder A, is adapted a rockshaft, E, whichis provided with a series of arms, I I, M M, F, and G. The arm F isadapted to the sliding sleeve (1 of a centrifugal governor, J, of anydesiredconstruction, and serves as the medium whereby the governorimparts a rocking movement to the shaft E as the speed of the engineincreases or diminishes. The arm G carries a counterbalance-weight, g,adjustable on the arm, so as to insure the proper delicacy in the actionof the governor at all times. The arm I is connected to the spindle t ofthe valve in the chest z, and the arm I to the spindle t of the valve inthe chest 21, the arms M M being similarly connected to the spindles1010 of the valves in the chests m m. i

The proper setting of the valves in the chests i i and m m will be bestunderstood by the following description of the operation of theregulating mechanism.

When the engine is running at its normal and uniform speed the valves inthe chests 13 and m will be open, and the valves in the chests'z" and mclosed, in which case the inte rior of the cylinder A above the pistonto will be open to the steam from the pipe 'n, and the interior of saidcylinder below the piston to the exhaust-pipe s. The piston willconsequently be in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the lever B in thatshown by full lines in said figure, the end 0 of the lever bearingagainst the stop f and the main throttle-valve, to which the oppositeend, d, of the lever is connected, being open to an extent sufficient topermit the passage of a proper quantity of steam for driving the engineunder ordinary circumstances.

Should there be a tendency of the engines to race, which is always thecase with marine engines when the propeller rises from the water, therewill be an increased speed of the governor J, corresponding with theincreased speed of the engine, and the shaft E will be turned so as toimpart such a movement to the arms I I and M M as will close the valvesin the chests i and m, and open the valves in the chests i and m. Theimmediate result of this is, that the interior of the cylinder A abovethe piston to will be cutoff from the steam and opened to the exhaust,while the interior of the cylinder below the piston will be cutoff fromthe exhaust and opened to the steam consequently a sudden rising of thepiston to will take place, thereby moving the lever B to the positionshown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and closing the main throttle-valve.

Should the speed of the engines be suddenly diminished, a reversal ofthe above-described operations will take place, and the lever B will berestored to the position shown by full lines, so as to again open themain throttle-valve.

The above description refers to the action of the regulating apparatusunder a sudden increase or diminution in the speed of the engine. Agradual increase or diminution of speed would result in the gradualoperation of the steam and exhaust valves, and a consequent gradualmovement of the piston to and of the main throttle-valve. The movementof the piston and throttle-valve, in fact, will be in exact accordancewith the requirements of the engine and almost simultaneous therewith.

It has not been deemed necessary to exhibit the character of the valvesused in the chests z t" and m m, as various kinds of valves may beemployed, the ordinary cylindrical balanced valves being preferred,however, as they can be operated with but little exertion on the part ofthe governor.

Although I have shown and prefer to use the lever B as the means oftransmitting the movement of the piston-rod b to the throttlevalve, thesaid lever may be dispensed with, if desired, the pistonrod b, forinstance, bein g connected to the stem of a throttle-valve directly, orby means other than the lever B.

I claim as my invention A regulating device for steam-engines in whichare combined the following elements, namely: acylinder, A, closed atboth ends, and having a piston the rod of which is connected to thethrottle-valve, valves t i, for admitting steam to the cylinder A,valves m m,

for exhausting steam from said cylinder A, a

centrifugal governor, J, and devices, substantially as described,whereby the valves are operated in pairs by said governor, so as to openone end of the cylinder to the exhaust as the other end is opened to thesteam, all substantially as set forth. 7.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

G. G. JENKINS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. COOPER, HARRY SMITH.

